WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Six agricultural leaders received the Purdue University Agricultural Alumni Association's top award during the group's annual Fish Fry in Indianapolis.

The Certificate of Distinction recognizes contributions to agriculture - and society in general - that go far beyond the requirements of a job or profession.

"We are awed by the contributions of professional and community service of this year's award recipients," said Donya Lester, executive director of the alumni association. "They represent the best of our agricultural and natural resources profession. Our university, our profession, and certainly a number of our communities are stronger because of their work, and we are delighted that we can honor and thank them at one of Indiana's largest agricultural meetings."

* Dan J. Arnholt (B.S. 1968) of Columbus, Indiana. Former general manager and CEO of the Bartholomew County REMC, Arnholt has an extensive record of achievement and service to the rural electric utility industry. He wrote several farm energy papers published by the American Society of Agricultural Engineering. He also is co-author of Farmer's Guide for Electrical Grain Drying. He has served as a member of the Governor's Task Force Committee on Indiana Agriculture, the Indiana Statewide Competition Task Force, the National Committee for Ag Mechanics and several National Food and Energy Task Forces on Electrical Wiring Systems for Livestock Facilities, Livestock Ventilation, and Farm Energy Audits. He has served on the AgrIInstitute board of directors since 1987, including as chairman in 2004-05, and has been treasurer since 1993. His passion for economic development has led to various roles in community organizations in Columbus, Indiana, and at Purdue. He also has served in many philanthropic organizations.

* D. Howard Doster of Waynesville, Ohio. Doster joined the Purdue University agricultural economics faculty as an Extension farm management specialist in 1968 and helped 40 other faculty members start the Purdue Top Farmer Crop Workshop, a program he would lead for more than 30 years. Doster taught six classes at Purdue and co-wrote three high school texts on entrepreneurship. He also created and coordinated 20 annual Farming Together Workshops and coordinated the farm records program and annual Indiana Farm Management Tour. Doster was co-founder and president of the Purdue chapter of agricultural honorary Gamma Sigma Delta. He served as faculty adviser to the Alpha Zeta chapters at Purdue and Ohio State University. In 2006, he led organizing the union of OSU's Alpha Zeta fraternity with the university's new Farm House chapter. Doster has an extensive record of community service and has been active in numerous professional organizations.

* Max W. Evans (B.S. 1957) of Overland Park, Kansas. Evans had a distinguished career of 55 years in farm management and consulting for operations in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi, Vermont, North Carolina, Haiti and Saudi Arabia. In 1981, Evans became vice president and head of the Farm Management Department for Union Central Bank & Trust in Des Moines, Iowa. Three years later, he co-founded Agri Partners Central, a Des Moines farm management, appraisal and real estate brokerage firm, of which he later became majority stockholder and served as a consulting appraiser in 26 states. He eventually sold Agri Partners Central to Farmers National Co. and worked for FNC as an independent contractor, conducting appraisals on a fee-sharing basis. He was a leader in many professional organizations during his career. Evans is a Life Member of the Purdue Alumni Association and served on the Purdue Alumni Board of Directors, representing Region 13. He was a founding member of the Purdue Alumni Club of Central Iowa and served on its board from 2005 to 2008.

* Scott Allen Jamieson (B.S. 1984) of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Jamieson has devoted his career and much of his civic contributions to advancing the tree care profession, keeping arborists safe, protecting and enhancing the urban forest and empowering others to be environmental stewards. He is a vice president of Bartlett Tree Experts, responsible for corporate partnerships and national recruiting in 27 states. He also is director of Bartlett Inventory Solutions, a system for conducting tree inventories and management plans. Jamieson is former president and CEO of The Care of Trees, the second-largest commercial and residential tree preservation company in the world. Jamieson has served on advisory boards for both the Michigan State and Purdue forestry departments as well as the Purdue College of Agriculture Dean's Advisory Council. He has served on the boards of many national and state professional organizations and taught classes at The Morton Arboretum and Chicago Botanic Garden, introducing local residents and professionals to the latest tree care and landscape practices. Jamieson received Purdue's Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus Award.

* Michael A. Shuter (B.S. 1973) of Frankton, Indiana. Shuter operates Shuter Sunset Farms Inc., a fourth-generation family farm, with his wife, Susan, and sons, Brian and Patrick. He has taken innovative approaches to the operation of corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. As an example, Shuter was among the first in his area to adopt conservation tillage, going to no-till corn in 1983, partially in response to high energy prices. Innovative finishing houses have computer-controlled ventilation and take pigs from 21 days to market weight in the same building, eliminating shrinkage that can occur with moving to a new building. Shuter's adherence to sound conservation practices has steadily increased the organic matter content of his soils; soil erosion and excessive water runoff during heavy rains are reduced because of increased cover. Value-added enterprises such as growing popcorn and seed soybeans are integral to the operation. Shuter frequently opens his farm to visitors, including school groups, news reporters and international trade delegations. He has an extensive record of agriculture industry service at the state and national levels, including as a past president of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

* Thomas E. Springstun (B.S. 1977, M.S. 1981) of Scottsburg, Indiana. Springstun worked in Purdue Extension for 35 years until his retirement in 2012, serving Clark, Greene and Scott counties. Among his accomplishments, Springstun helped to develop a free, countywide recycling program in Scott County amid rising waste disposal costs. The result was savings for the county and more responsible management of waste by residents. The Governor's Recycling Task Force recognized his work as the Outstanding Recycling Program in 1999. Springstun also distinguished himself in aquaculture education, becoming a leader in promoting the industry and presenting at workshops for people interested in starting an aquaculture venture. Springstun also worked with local government to implement the first Leadership Scott County program, helped to improve the county government's website and had a key role in establishing the YMCA and Life-long Learning Center. His work in Floyd County included conducting professional horticulture seminars and presenting economic development workshops.